It’s no secret that the state of Michigan is practically frothing at the mouth to see their teams not only have successful seasons, but do some damage in the playoffs as well. Led the Detroit Lions’ recent run in the National Football League’s playoffs, we’ve seen local and statewide media turn their attention to the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings as they continue their battle to end their seven-year playoff drought.
But just as the Red Wings were becoming the toast of Detroit, the team suffered an implosion at perhaps the most critical point of the season. As the month of February came to a close, they held the first wild card position as well as a six-point cushion on the next-closest team. Now that the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone, the Red Wings now find themselves holding on to the second wild card spot for dear life. The Tampa Bay Lightning, sitting in the first wild card spot, are starting to build a small cushion of their own, and the New York Islanders are breathing down Detroit’s neck as they sit one point behind the Red Wings in the standings.
Despite all the excitement that was buzzing around Detroit a month ago, there remains a strong possibility that their playoff drought will continue and Little Caesars Arena will have to wait at least another year before it hosts playoff hockey for the first time. However, that doesn’t mean hockey fans across the state of Michigan are doomed to be bystanders once again as playoff hockey begins across North America.
The Grand Rapids Griffins, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Red Wings, are not only in a playoff spot, they are also second in their division and boast the fifth-best points-percentage in the AHL’s Western Conference. Barring an epic collapse to finish out the season, the Griffins will make the playoffs and might even have home ice advantage in the opening round.
Related: When Will the Red Wings’ Top Prospects Arrive in the NHL?
They may not be the hockey team that news channels across Michigan are focusing their attention on, but the Griffins’ success this season ultimately means a lot to the Red Wings organization, and it should mean a lot to fans across this state (and beyond).
Griffins Led by Future Red Wings
Much is made of the “young” team in Detroit. When players like Ben Chiarot, David Perron and Patrick Kane were brought in, the narrative was that they were successful veterans that were brought in to shepherd the team’s young players….
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